Carmen Gentile and Jim Michaels: Afghan War Gains Shaky!

Under the gaze of his US military instructors, Samir Khan, a lanky new recruit to the ranks of the Afghan National Army, takes a turn firing his weapon at targets on this wind-swept weapons range in southwestern Afghanistan. Dozens of others wait their turn, as Khan, whose home village is in the embattled eastern province of Khost, fires rounds from an M240 machine gun. During a break, Khan says he and many friends enlisted in the ANA out of a sense of patriotism, as well as pressure from relatives: "My family wanted me to join because it would be good for the country," the 18-year-old says, his over-sized helmet sliding off his head. "All my friends were joining, and I said I should join, too." Uf Afghanistan is ever to be made safe enough for US troops to leave, men such as Khan will be critical to achieving that goal. The counterinsurgency strategy that a coalition of nations has rallied behind, relies on Afghans standing up for themselves against their former overlords and terrorists, who are among the most ruthless in the world. "There is a nice upward climb," Lt. Gen. Bill Caldwell, commanding general of NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan and Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan, says of the Afghan army's progress!